Subzero Operation CF
by Darkrealmist v.2
Summary: Hikawa Tohru has been practicing Cross Fusion in secret. When his boyfriend learns what he's been up to, how will he take it? [Animeverse. Established Netto x Tohru]


Subzero Operation C.F.

Author's Note: Set after episode 28 of _Stream_. Enjoy the story and R&R.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to or of the Rockman EXE series.

Pairing: Established Netto x Tohru.

Summary:

Hikawa Tohru has been practicing Cross Fusion in secret. When his boyfriend learns what he's been up to, how will he take it?

* * *

"Pre-procedure check complete, Tohru-kun. Ready when you are," the voice of the Ministry of Science's #2 researcher, Eguchi Meijin, carried over the PA system.

Hikawa Tohru took a breath, reviewing his list of necessary mental preparations. "Do it."

"Dimensional Area, activate!"

Bismuth-coloured hexagonal plates sealed him in the testing booth.

"Rush, please come out!"

Reluctantly, the dog named Rush rose from a hole in the ground, a Synchro Chip case permanently strung around his collar.

"Au au au!" Nose aimed at the converter dish on the cubicle's ceiling, he jumped and compacted himself into the chip, which fell into the boy's palm.

"Rush Synchro Chip, slot-in! Cross Fusion!"

In a blue-white flash, gloves and boots covered Tohru's hands and feet. Iceman's crest impacted his chest, spreading the Navi's parka across his limbs and torso, a water meter decompiling on his back. Instead of fleece lining, solid ice rimmed his hood, mitts, coat, and pantlegs. Chullo earflaps that ended in poof balls trailed either side of his face, and pink swirls like blush stickers formed on his cheeks.

Meijin inserted a virus chip, summoning a line of Billy adversaries.

Elec type. Iceman's elemental weakness.

Busting 101. Wood-based Forest Bombs did the trick.

A swarm of MacTects almost got a shock off; Tohru froze them before they flew too close.

Killer's Eyes proved craftier targets. For those, he had to Barrier first and cut them down with a sword.

The merger between operator and Navi remained stable longer than previous efforts. Eventually, however, holding it together exacted its toll and a wave of static pricked Tohru's heart, collapsing him to the floor.

No explosion this time. They'd improved.

"Au!" Rush whizzed over.

"Tohru-kun! Tohru-kun! Are you all right, desu?" his partner shouted from his rematerialized Progress PET.

And who should barge in but Hikari Netto, the last person he wanted watching him fail.

The data measurement cables and helmet constituting Tohru's plugsuit were hurriedly unwired.

After Tohru replenished his electrolytes and was treated for minor abrasions, he turned to the urgent complication of his spooked boyfriend. The Net Saviour had yet to release his grip since the med team moved him to the lab's infirmary.

"Gonna tell me what this is about, or do I have to _squeeze_ it out of ya?" Netto warned. "Meijin-san said you've been secretly training with Iceman to increase your Synchro Rate?"

He exaggerated a wince to disarm Netto's threat.

Indeed, he'd heard, through Chisao, of Dekao's disastrous – and Meiru's successful – Cross Fusion attempts, and sought to replicate the latter's achievement. He and Rush were already on good terms, meaning he didn't need to resort to intimidation tactics, as opposed to Dekao strapping the poor pup to a table.

Aware what would happen if they botched it (Dekao's injuries could attest to that), Tohru and Iceman strove towards building their bond, keeping track of their progress playing Netto and Rockman's weird friendship game where they quizzed the other on personal trivia. By the sixth of Meijin's in-house trial runs, the twosome had whittled down their response intervals to virtually a second each.

"You weren't supposed to find out. Not this soon."

"Yeah, well, now I have! Why are you trying to Cross Fuse?"

"Netto-kun, you're burning yourself out fighting Neo WWW. Enzan's in Amerope. There's nobody left to back you up here in Japan."

With the caveat that it originated from a place of ineffable love, Tohru's logic differed scantly from Dekao and Meiru's reasoning. His buddies had legitimate cause for concern; just yesterday, he'd been moaning about his lack of sleep. Nevertheless, while Netto understood their rationale, he was a tad miffed that Tohru (and Dekao and Meiru, by extension), presumed he required Enzan's help.

"You don't believe I can do this alone."

As if to satisfy his humongous ego, Tohru disputed, "I _know_ you can! That's the problem! What I'm afraid of is that you'll get in way over your head and wind up severely hurt! Or worse!"

"Meiru-chan performed Cross Fusion, so I could ask her," Netto blurted without considering Tohru's feelings.

The real world floored Tohru.

_It's always her. Always Meiru-chan._

"Shh! Netto-kun!" Rockman hissed at his best friend's slip of the tongue.

"Uh, ugh, I mean, you don't have to worry! I'm sure I'll manage on my own?"

_Waterworks incoming! Classy, heartbreaker! Been taking lessons from Charlie?_

Netto revised his hasty comment, apologizing, "Tohru-kun, not everyone is able to Cross Fuse. Don't force it, 'kay?"

"I've made it this far…I'm not giving up!"

To Tohru's befuddlement, Netto approved.

"Aren't you going to convince me this is a horrible idea?"

"When has an argument of mine ever stopped you, Tohru-kun?" Netto beamed. "But I'll admit, seeing you all 'hero mode' is kind of amazing! I really make you that crazy?"

An incurable blush was his only answer.

"In fact, I wouldn't mind laying eyes on C.F. Iceman again! You're so cute it ought to be illegal!"

"Charmer." Laughing, Tohru wrapped his whole huggable body around Netto's arm. "Hear that, Iceman? He called us cute!"

Iceman sighed. His operator's attachment to Hikari Netto truly did make him crazy.

"Hypothetical question, then: If I kissed you in Cross Fusion, is that the same as Iceman and Rockman kissing?"

Immediately fascinated with the ramifications, Netto yielded the debate to his Navi. "What do you think, Rockman?"

Rockman went on the offensive. "D-don't even joke, Netto-kun!"

Unsurprisingly, Iceman shared his annoyance.

Guaranteeing to their discomposed aides they would_ not_ execute such a tasteless experiment once Tohru and Iceman got the hang of Cross Fusion, the twelve-year-olds scouted the gift shop until Hikawa Seiji came to pick up his son.

"Promise me you'll be careful. That you won't push yourself too hard."

They pinkie swore.


End file.
